The Ashes of London
by statesofgrxce
Summary: London 1943, when Lily Evans is handed over to the Auror's after living her school years pretending to be a muggle for her own safety, she must learn to live in a world where two wars are colliding.
1. Chapter 1

**St Joseph's Academy,**

**London,**

**14****th**** of June, 1943.**

"One exam to go," The sing song voice of Amelia Fortescue echoed around the Victorian style hallways. The halls were practically empty of students on the sunny June day and students without exams were taking full advantage of the empty grounds.

"Maths is two hours; you have got to be kidding me?" Emma Thomas sighed as she snatched the exam sheet off of her friend. "This is meant to be a school, not a prison."

King Joseph's Academy of London was particularly famous for, as Emma put it, 'torturing' its students. The all-girls boarding school was more and more recently becoming a place of hell for its older students who were now facing the new rules being placed in over the last year due to the progression of the war. The school was built for the socially elite and was the host to high family competition and rivalry between students, preparing for when they left and were expected to act like this in the real world.

"It will all be over soon, and then it will be the summer. And you'll be complaining again as you'll be travelling back down to Bristol to spend six weeks of bliss with your family," Amelia smirked at her friend, knowing full way Emma was dreading it.

Emma rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah and what, you're spending your whole summer where?"

"France, with my Grandparents," Amelia lied with a smile. "Remember, I don't have parents to spend six weeks of bliss with." Another lie; they came easily now.

Emma almost looked uncomfortable but shot her friend a grin, "Lucky you." It was well known knowledge that Amelia's had left her with her Grandparents when she was very young, without an explanation or any trace of a destination, she had no way of contacting them.

"You don't mean that, Lord and Lady Thomas will of course be _delighted_ to have their youngest daughter home from boarding school for the summer," Amelia cried in a high pitch voice, mimicking Emma's Mother.

Emma snorted and smiled at her friend, "Can't I just spend the summer with you?"

Amelia hated lying, she truly did, but she had been trained to, it's all she could do. She had to. "Em, you know you can't, and I'm sorry but you know you'd hate France, all the social events, you'd have nobody to complain to. At least at the ones you'll be going to you get to." She said with a weak smile.

Emma nodded, and gave her friend a small shrug, "It was worth a try. Why can't you just stay here this summer for once? Come and stay with me?" She tried, brightening with the idea.

She felt her heart rise and sink as she almost considered it, it would be so easy just to say yes. "I can't." She shrugged, turning away and lying again. She saw Emma frown slightly out of the corner of her eye, she knew she never believed her, but she didn't question her lies and that's what Amelia needed in a friend; as sad as it was.

The girls made their way across the grounds and towards the back of the school, walking in silence- the only sounds being their school bags hitting against their legs, and Emma unrolling and rolling up her sleeves of her blazer, being her indecisive self.

Amelia had always detested the school uniform she was expected to wear at King Joseph's: the long black skirt not to be worn above the knee (which she always did); the itchy cotton shirt, and the most uncomfortable black tie, worn so the top button could not be seen. But a common hatred the two girls shared was the school blazer, the dark and dull grey colour of it, the itchy and scratchy feel it had against the sleeves and the fact that if they were caught with it off a two hour detention was flung at them, an occasional punishment for the pair.

They finally met the gap in the trees in which over the years the pair of them had enlarged so they could both easily slip through. King Joseph's was only a two minute walk from the centre of London and both girls around the summer usually got sick of being trapped in the schools walls. They hadn't been caught yet. Amelia watched as Emma slipped through, and a second later copied her friend's actions.

"Have you seen the paper?" Emma muttered, as they walked away from the school.

"The Mail?" Amelia replied, her eyes staring at the ground.

Emma did not reply but handed the said paper to her. She scanned the front page, and let out a sound of disgust seeing the headline.

"St Edward's is only twenty minutes from here," Amelia sighed, shoving the paper into her bag.

"You know what they're saying right?" Emma said faintly, turning towards her best friend. "They're saying that German soldiers stormed the school, and just _murdered_ anyone in their path. The government thinks they're searching for something."

"Like what?" Amelia frowned, her stomach full of butterflies.

"Could be anything," Emma sighed dramatically. "A weapon, money, plans, a person; who knows?"

"It's happening too regularly, is there no protection? No safety?" Amelia replied her voice rising in panic.

"Tons," Emma said; biting into an apple she produced from her school bag. "I guess that's what's so terrifying about it all."

Amelia sighed, "Could be us next."

"Oi, don't be so negative," Emma screeched. "We're going to be fine, trust me."

They had reached town by now and they quickly shoved their blazers into their bags. Everyone knew how strict King Joseph's was, and it was quite clear that they would not be allowed out unchaperoned by a teacher.

Emma loved the summer; Amelia watched as her friend grinned around at central London, flicking her eyes into shop windows and looking at the sun reflecting on her light blonde hair. She herself wasn't really a summer person, her light mousey brown hair did not suit summer clothes, and she was so pale that she was certain she was constantly burning.

Her eyes strayed across the street and her concentration was less and less on Emma who was chatting away about something hilariously funny that had happened in her Geography exam. Amelia watched as she saw people bustling up and down the busy London streets, the occasional partition of crowds as someone walked through, someone of aristocracy. For some reason this had always bothered her. People of higher classes thinking they owned people of lower classes. They were not deserving of the respect they were given. Her eyes flitted towards an alleyway and her gaze lay upon a young man, with long blonde hair, his body half in the shadows and half under the sunlight of the hot June day. He must have been boiling, dressed in a long black cloak that fell around his ankles. She continued watching him closely, and noticed another figure slide up next to him, wearing exactly the same.

Amelia's heart did a double turn, and her stomach flipped. For some reason she felt as if she had been thrown upside down. Suddenly she realised what she was looking at. Something she had not been trained to deal with if it ever occurred. She turned to Emma, trying to think of something else and shot her friend a grin at the story she was telling, trying not to let her inner panic display on her face.

She watched as Emma crossed the road, and followed her, her heart was racing as she knew she was nearing the two men in the alleyway. She didn't take her eyes off of them, and pretended to listen as Emma chatted away, forcing a smile each time she said something funny. They were nearing them now, just a second away.

"Afternoon m'lady," The man with the long blonde hair smiled at her, looking her directly in her bright green eyes and bowing his head. She did not smile back; she watched him cautiously as Emma smirked at them and flicked her hair slightly before continuing.

Amelia glanced back, and shot a glance at the two men who had disappeared into the shadows. She could barely see their outline but she did not miss the cruel smile on the blonde man's face as he stared her in the eyes. Disappearing further into the darkness of the alley she realised she could no longer see them. Her heart stopped. They had found her.

"Emma, we need to go," She whispered in a panic.

Her friend widened her eyes at her, "What do you mean "go"? What, go back? We just got here Amy."

Amelia shook her head, "Now, we need to go. It's not safe, we need to go." She said her voice rising.

"No, I'm staying. Go back if you like," Emma snapped at her.

"Em, I'm serious. We _need_ to go."

But Emma ignored her, and carried on walking. Leaving her friend stood there in the middle of the street in her own panic. Amelia cursed under her breath, spun around and broke into a run. Her legs carried her through the crowds of people, not caring who she bumped into, whose shopping she knocked out of whose hands. For once in her life she was determined to be selfish and scared and she was going to act upon it.

She ran back the way they had come, terrified as she turned down alleyways and round street corners alone but she ran all the same. Back to trees, back to the hole and back to the school. She stopped, and caught her breath as she reached the entrance way and she peered in. Her heart sank.

Smoke was rising from the building, and from the windows she could see fire, and thick black smoke. But what terrified her, what made her realise she and her friends were no longer safe, was the jet of green light she spotted coming from the Newman building, up in its highest window.

She threw herself through the gap and grabbed her bag, before racing across the school lawn and towards the entrance hall. Her heart thumped and her mind raced, she knew she should get herself out, back home, her Mother would kill her if she found out what she was doing. But Amelia knew what had to be done, and running away from the problem would not solve it. No, it would make it worse, it would kill more people.

Someone grabbed her wrist as she started to dash up the spiral staircase, and covered her scream with their hand. She kicked her attacker, and felt herself being pulled into a classroom. Bile rose into her mouth and she thought she was going to be sick. They could torture her, they could find her family, they could track them down, after all these years they could be tracked down and everything they had done for her would be for nothing.

She thought of just an hour ago with Emma, complaining about their last two hour exam, panicking about being bombed and attacked, complaining all those times about England's bloody education system and how much they detested going to school. All those times she had gone along with Emma's rants about hating school, about how this had been a bloody waste of eleven years, how she pretended she knew how Emma felt, as she pretended they were in the same boat. As if she too had always known she was to go to King Joseph's. As if she was the same as Emma.

She was spun around, and she stopped as she faced her attacker. "Lily, we need to get you out of here this instant," Her Headmaster croaked.

Because Lily Evans was an anomaly, and she was not the same as Emma or anyone else in this school, she was special.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Evan's Manor,**

**Outskirts of London,**

**28****th**** of July, 1943.**

"Stop asking questions," Her Mother snapped.

Lily sighed, "I've been home for over a month now Mother, and I think it's time I knew what was happening."

"I think it's time you paid us the respect we deserve, and stop prying. You're a child Lillian, and we're your parents, it is not your place to ask questions." It seemed question time was over.

Lily of course knew the real reason she had not been told what was happening, it was because they did not know either. Well, her Mother did not. Lily did not doubt for a moment her Father had other ideas, and Lily could guess what they were. And she did not like her guessing. She had been back just under a month and she had heard about ten different arguments all about what to do with her. _What was the safest option, should they send her back? Which one to send her back to? Send her somewhere new?_

At the age of thirteen, in the middle of her second year of schooling, Lily Evans was pulled out of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school she was raised to go to, the minute she was born it was set in stone that she was to attend. But the Dark Lord's forces were growing stronger and the Evans's were targeted. To this day she did not know why her parents thought the muggle world was a safer place than under Albus Dumbledore's protection, but she did not ask nor question them. She was thrown into the muggle education system with new memories and knowledge of muggle life, her appearance and name changed. It was as if Lily Evans had never existed.

"I know he's thinking of sending me back there," She whispered. "I can tell."

"Oh and how did you guess that?" Her Mother muttered. But Lily noticed the frown appear on her forehead, the lines that quickly disappeared. The panic, the stress, what she was so desperately trying to hide.

"I know Dumbledore's been here. I can hear him; I think he wants me to hear him. I think he wants me to have a say, I think he wants me to realise what you're trying to do," Lily replied, her voice rising.

Her Mother rolled her eyes, "Don't talk about things you don't understand, Lillian."

"I'm not," Lily cried. "Why else would we be going to the McKinnon's masquerade ball tonight? You and Father are trying to integrate yourselves back into wizarding society, and you haven't even asked what I think, what I want, what I feel is safest for me, how happy I am about it all!"

It's because they didn't care, and she knew they didn't. They were so worried about themselves, so scared about what might happen to them personally, all their concerns that were linked with her were whether or not she might ruin everything for them. Lily looked at her Mother for a second, she watched her eye her daughter with suspicion and avert her gaze to the floor, and knot her hands together. And then Lily realised, how lonely her Mother truly was.

Her Mother looked over her shoulder, eyeing the door suspiciously as if she feared Lord Evans was listening in. "You will go to the McKinnon's tonight accompanied by us, and you will not ask questions Lillian, do you understand?" She hissed, before standing up and dusting off her dress.

"Fine," Lily said coolly, as she watched her Mother exit the room, leaving her sixteen year old daughter sat on her bed, slowly letting panic creep in.

She didn't want to go back there.

And see everyone again.

Not everybody who had probably forgotten her.

She would have to fit back in.

They didn't understand.

She couldn't breathe.

She could beg.

She couldn't go back.

**The McKinnon's Manor,**

**Oxford,**

**28****th**** of July, 1943.**

She stood alone in the corner, they had been there for about twenty minutes now and this was as far as she had gotten into the room. Her parents had sent her off as they mingled with old friends, and told her to go make herself useful. Useful doing what? What did they want her to do, hand round food, offer drinks? At someone else's party? But useful probably meant make herself scarce, so she did. She felt like a coward, stood there alone, watching the room, not daring to talk to anyone. What did they expect? She had spent the last three years being hidden from the world, and wizarding society, and now she was expected to grab that old Gryffindor courage back again and throw herself back in, when she was so used to blending in and hiding in the background.

She was uncomfortable. She was wearing a floor length dark blue dress, which was starting to become very itchy -her Mother's choice obviously- and her heels were rubbing the soles of her feet. God, she forgot how much she hated these stupid balls. At least when she was younger she got to run around with the kids, laughing and shouting as everyone ignored them. But now she was expected to act ladylike, politely nod her head at anyone who looked her way and offer them a small smile, and ignore the whispering aimed in her direction.

_Lily Evans the girl who had been hidden from herself for three years._

"Pumpkin Juice, Madam?" A waiter asked. Ah, so she still looked like a child at an adult's ball, but she just couldn't act like one. She smiled slightly, and shook her head, and he moved on. She felt a stab of sympathy for him, families that were not considered wealthy enough to get into these parties often sent their children along to help out, in the hope they would get invited to the next one. It seemed humiliating, and Lily was selfishly thankful she had never been in that position.

God she was bored, all she wanted to do was go home, curl up and sleep and think of a way to stop her Dad sending her back to Hogwarts next year. It was simple really, all she had to do was keep badgering him, and persuading him, and hopefully maybe and eventually it could possibly work, if she tried hard en-

"Lily Evans," Someone said behind her.

She turned around and stared into the green eyes of Remus Lupin, her ex-classmate and fellow Gryffindor. He was smiling warmly at her, and she felt herself let go of a breath she didn't even know she had been holding and smiled back at him in relief. His eyes twinkled slightly, as if he was genuinely happy to see her – he remembered her. Perhaps she wouldn't be alone.

"Remus," She grinned back at him. "You haven't changed at all," She added.

"Neither have you I've noticed," He smirked slightly. "Stood in the corner and glaring at every pureblood that passes you. Also, you look as if you can't handle five more minutes of this stuffy party."

She flushed slightly, so it wasn't just Dumbledore who noticed, "I guess I feel a bit out of place."

He nodded understandingly. She was right, he was just as understanding, and kind as he always had been. They'd been good friends before she left. "Making your way towards Mary and Marlene I see," He commented, and she shrugged. "They missed you. They do still talk about you occasionally. But it's hard Lily, nobody's heard from you in years, nobody knew what happened. We were almost certain you'd," he paused, "never mind."

"I think that was the point," She muttered. "I'm just starting to wonder who actually wanted me gone, crazy purebloods or my own Father."

"Have you ever considered the difference?" Remus asked abruptly. "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude or interfere, I was just curious on how much you actually know about your own family?"

Lily looked over her shoulder where her Father and Mother were chatting to the MacDonald's, "Nothing at all, Remus."

"Have you ever thought about asking?" He politely inquired.

She smiled, "You have clearly never met my Father, Remus."

"No I haven't, but I must say his choice of mask reflects the stories I've heard about him. And by that I mean his supposed personality."

Remus was right. Lily's Father was wearing a black mask that covered half of his face, it was not dissimilar to a death eater mask, and of course Lily had only recognised this after her Father had made a small joke about it, obviously finding his own cruelty amusing. No one else appeared to have made the connection, and Lily was thankful. She was, however, starting to question where her Father's loyalties lay. Lily, herself, was wearing a golden patterned mask almost in the shape of a bird's eyes.

"Well, by looking at the colours of your mask Remus, I think someone may guess Ravenclaw," Lily teased, taking in his blue and silver mask.

"My Mother picked it out for me," He sighed, making a face, causing Lily to giggle slightly before pulling his mask down over his eyes, as she followed suit.

"Lillian," She felt her Mother hiss in her ear. Of course it could be nobody other than her Mother; she didn't know anyone else that could hiss like a snake, without actually being one. "Your Father and I would like you to join Lord Avery's son on the dance floor, he's a year older than you, and you are one of the only people not dancing. You promised you'd try to your hardest not to embarrass us."

She grabbed Lily's arm and dragged her away leaving Lily mouthing an apology at a chuckling Remus, and threw her in front of lanky looking Aaron Avery. His eyebrows were knotted into a frown, and his mouth into a sneer as he dragged her towards the dance floor. Every inch of him screamed Slytherin, and Lily had never been more uncomfortable in her life. He talked at her, not giving her any chances to reply as he moved her around at his time and pace, (though Lily had never danced a day in her life, she had always managed to avoid dancing), his breath smelt strongly of onions as he breathed heavily as he talked, and occasionally he would trample on her feet. She was sure it was purposely, as if he was asserting his authority. His mask was grey, like his eyes, and extremely boring, not at all as beautiful as Remus's. The thought made her long to be with her friend, chatting away, and she cast a look across the dance floor, where she saw him dancing with her old friend Mary MacDonald who was giggling away. There seemed to be no sign of Marlene, actually Lily couldn't recall seeing her all night, but she pushed this thought away.

Lily's Mother had been right; it was as if everyone was dancing now. Even her parents seemed to be on the floor. Lily sighed inwardly at her bad luck at a dance partner, and nodded politely as Avery continued to brag about how much money his Father was now being paid at his job at the Ministry. Lily tried so hard not to scoff at his arrogance, and desperately wanted to escape his grasp. He was dull, and awful to listen to, and quite frankly she was uncomfortable and bored.

He twirled her, and she took her chance. Not caring if she bashed right in to someone else, at least then she could make up an excuse that she was dizzy or she had lost her balance. But Merlin she could not spend another minute with him, let alone another song, or she might Avada herself. She spun away from him and let herself let go of his hand, and she continued to let herself spin. She was going to fall, she could feel herself tripping, and she felt a hand on her back –so much for getting away from Avery.

"Careful," A warm voice muttered in her ear. Lily looked up to see a beautiful gold and red mask, and it was obvious Gryffindor pride was a very prominent thing in his personality. He had dark messy hair, and large hazel eyes, which lit up as he smiled at her. "Want to dance?" He grinned.

Lily smiled gratefully. Anyone, anyone was better than Avery –friend or stranger. She dusted off her dress, "Thank you."

"I think you'll learn to keep your filthy hands off of things that aren't yours Potter," Avery snarled, coming up to them and putting his arm on Lily's shoulder, which she subtly tried to shrug off.

"I think you'll learn not to treat Miss Evans as your possession, Avery," Potter hissed back.

Lily Evans was no stranger to James Potter, and James Potter was no stranger to Lily Evans. Lily remembered the messy haired arrogant boy just as she remembered his signature smirk, and his gang of friends, and his immature pranks; crystal clear. Lily had disliked James Potter greatly before she had been pulled out of school; the two had not been the greatest of friends, exchanging insults such as "toilet brush" and "ginger nut". Oh the inventive minds of second years still amazed her. But as she shrugged Avery's hand off of her shoulder it was clear to her she would rather dance with immature, and arrogant Potter, than dull, and nasty Avery.

"Her family would die of shame if she was caught with a blood traitor like you, Potter," Avery sneered.

Potter snorted, "Better than an honorary death eater like you, Avery."

"You clearly don't know her family very well then do you, Potter,"

"It's not her family I want to dance with. Now if you'll excuse us," James smirked, turning his back on Avery and taking Lily's hand.

She mouthed a thank you, as she watched Avery glare at the back of James's head and turn on his heel towards a group of Slytherin boys Lily had watched her parent's converse with earlier in the night. James smiled slightly at her and led her back into the middle of the dance floor; she hoped by immersing herself in the crowd her parents would not be able to seek her out.

"Has being hidden away for the past three years somehow damaged your brain Evans?" James snapped at her quietly.

Lily's eyes widened. Whatever she had been expecting him to say to her after not seeing her for three years she was certain it was not this. "Pardon me?" She choked out.

"Are you stupid? The Avery's aren't exactly wizarding society's most moral family," He muttered, spinning her slightly, almost making her trip over her own foot. "He's not a good guy."

"Ah yes, because I remember you being so polite and decent when I left. Plus who do you think you are? My Mother? I can take care of myself, thank you very much," She snapped back at him fiercely. "I don't need anyone to swoop in and save me. I'm not some damsel in distress."

"Did I imply that? I just think perhaps you should reconsider who you keep in your company, Evans."

"I'll have you know that that is none of your business, _Potter._"

"And I'll remind you Evans, that there is a war going on. Two infact. And it seems our world is getting mixed up in the other. You need to watch where your loyalties lie before people start questioning them."

"They are not my loyalties, they are my family's. I have no choice," She hissed at him, she realised they were attracting attention. The handsome Potter boy, and the Evans's recluse daughter -the girl who had rejected herself from wizarding society, and the son of the noble Potter's. Oh what a pair.

"You always have a choice, Lily," His voice softening slightly.

"You don't even know me, Potter," She glared at him.

"Well maybe this will be my lucky year," He smirked at her as the music stopped. He stepped back from her. "Thanks for the dance Evans. See you in September."

"Looking forward to it," She retaliated sarcastically.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Evan's Manor,**

**The Outskirts of London,**

**15****th**** of August, 1943.**

Whispers downstairs, feet pacing back and forth, hushed voices, cold laughter, and something clattering. Lily was not allowed to leave her bedroom, but it did not mean she could not try to listen out for what was going on. She knew this was no longer Hogwarts business, her Mother had brought up her new school supplies exactly three days ago, and Lily knew there was no point in arguing with her again. She was going back to Hogwarts; it was the safest option for her now. But she still did not know who she was being protected from now? Pulled out of school at the age of thirteen, and thrown into a Muggle boarding school, for her safety, her family's safety, they had been targeted. Or so she had been told. She closed her eyes tight as she tried to fit all the pieces together, but there were so many bits missing, so many bits she was unclear about, so many things she hadn't been told. This was, of course, providing the pieces she already had were the truth anyway.

It did not make sense. No sense at all, if she was being protected from the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters, then why was her Father mingling with them now. Oh perhaps it was best if she didn't know, they probably thought. Well, she deserved to know. She was confused, and worried for herself, and her family. She did not know if her Father was in any sort of trouble, or whether he was just working his way off of You-Know-Who's targeted list. She had so many questions and nobody to ask them to. Her parents didn't expect her to ask questions, they expected her to keep quiet and trust their judgement. Well it was getting more difficult for her to trust their judgement when she no longer trusted them.

What was going on down there? She heard a door slam, and her Father shouted something, making her jump. Lily felt a pang of fear for her Mother who often received the brunt of his mood swings, especially when something didn't go right. She sighed and flung herself backwards onto the bed. Under three weeks to go now. At least she wouldn't have to sit in this house much longer, waiting for answers, but that didn't soften the butterflies in her stomach every time she so much as thought the word 'Hogwarts'.

Footsteps on the stairs, and her door swinging open, and then closing, Lily didn't bother looking up; it wouldn't be her Father he rarely talked to her these days. She felt her Mother sit down next to her on the bed, and Lily pulled herself up.

"What's going on Mother?" She asked quietly, eyeing her Mother's nervous eyes and her defeated expression.

"That was Dumbledore. He appears to be in question of where our loyalties lie. It's not surprising really when your Father is so keen to mix with supposed followers of You-Know-Who, he made no secret of being friendly with them at the McKinnon's ball," Her Mother sighed.

Her Mother used to be a beautiful woman. Her once dark red hair, not dissimilar to Lily's, was now turning grey, and her what-used-to-be sparkling blue eyes had lost their sparkle, and seemed to now be more dull and weary, as if she had had the life ripped from her. She seemed to sink into chairs now, instead of sitting upright like a lady, like how she had taught Lily. She was tired, and worn down.

"I thought those were the people we were supposed to be hiding from?" Lily whispered, worried her Father could overhear. He had a habit of 'accidentally' doing that.

"I know as much as you do Lillian. I was told the same as you. I was told to trust him, just as you were told to trust both of us. And we should both do as we are told; questioning him only makes things worse, and makes us all unsafe. It is better that we are kept in the dark Lillian, it's easier this way. And it would do you a great deal to learn that," She reprimanded before standing up.

"Mother-" Lily started, but her Mother was already out of the door, and again Lily was left in the dark -though this time she wasn't the only one. What was he Father up to? What had he been hiding from them for these past Merlin knows how many years?

She wasn't going to sit back, and sit in the dark. She was not a ten year old girl anymore. She was determined to know. And damn her Father if he tried to stop her.

* * *

><p><strong>The Evan's Manor,<strong>

**The Outskirts of London,**

**29****th**** of August, 1943.**

"Lillian," Her Father called as she tip-toed past his office, or at least she thought she had tip-toed. "Come in here a moment."

She took a sharp inhale of breath, and mentally cursed her inability to walk by like a ghost, and his damn good hearing. She pushed the door open slightly and saw him sat at his desk, facing the door as she entered. He looked tired; his head had clearly been bent over many books, and pieces of paper. But Lily didn't dare ask what he was up to, she knew it wasn't her place, and she knew he wouldn't tell her.

"Yes?" She asked, leaning against the doorframe, and folding her arms.

"Please Lillian, don't scowl, it doesn't do you any good," He snapped. She didn't even realise she had been scowling but his chastisement didn't bother her, she had grown used to them. He looked down, and she rolled her eyes slightly so he couldn't see. There was a pause.

"Are you looking forward to going back?" He asked politely, and Lily almost frowned, but she did not fancy being snapped at, yet again.

"I suppose," She said slowly. Wondering where on earth this may be going.

"Look Lillian, I want you to be careful when you go back, we don't want to have to act drastically again," She couldn't tell if he was trying to look out for her, or warning her not to get into any trouble and let them down.

"Careful with whom, the Slytherins?" She asked curiously.

"No. Around others, they won't bother you. Just try not to get yourself mixed up in any business that you may think involves you, or is suited to your preferences," He was being extremely ambiguous, but Lily just smiled and nodded along. And then he dismissed her with the nod of his head, and continued with his work as if she had never been there. "I'll be writing to you," He added as she started to turn away, but he didn't even look up.

* * *

><p><strong>The Hogwarts Express,<strong>

**1****st**** of September, 1943.**

She sat in a carriage on her own. She had been tempted to go and find Remus, but they weren't that good friends, and plus he'd be with Potter, Black, and Pettigrew all of whom she remembered to be childish, and prat-like, and she did not want to make company with them when she was already in a bad mood. In fact, she had been in a bad mood ever since she had returned home. Lily Evans: A permanent bad mood, the autobiography. She sighed. She could go and find Marlene McKinnon and Mary MacDonald, she would be sharing a dorm with them, they had been best friends, once. But she feared it would be too awkward. Plus she was fine sitting in here alone, she could get a head start on reading the textbooks, and then she wouldn't feel so inadequate when it would come to classes. She had already read the charms one and the potions one the whole way through once, she had pushed transfiguration and defence against the dark arts to the side, and again she picked up the Potions book and went back to the beginning.

She was restless, and easily distracted, that was an Evans trait. She stared out the window and watched as the train seemed to speed past hills, and small towns, and quiet muggle villages, she wondered what she would be doing now if she was going back to St Joseph's. Sat in her dorm with Emma, making up lies about her summer, and hearing about Emma's rubbish one. Pretending to be Amelia, and complaining about the dullness of her brown hair, and how Emma's hair was so much nicer. Giggling about trivial things, pretending to be interested in the muggle war when really she was fearing a much scarier one, one less easily solved. She sighed, there was not much use dwelling on the past. She wouldn't go back now even if she could.

There was a tap at her window, and Lily looked up, and despite herself smiled slightly. A blonde haired girl stood at the doorway, smiling widely, with her brown haired friend in tow who was also grinning. Marlene McKinnon pushed the door open, and flicked her dark blonde hair over her shoulder. "Well, fancy seeing you here."

"I think it was a surprise for all," Lily replied, standing up to greet them. Mary MacDonald quickly enveloped her into a huge hug, clearly forgetting all awkwardness and the fact they hadn't seen each other in a rather long time.

"I missed you Lil," Mary muttered into her hair, before pulling back.

Marlene grinned, "Yeah, she's completely failing potions."

"Ah, I'm not quite sure I can bring you back up now," Lily smirked, as the three girls all seated themselves.

"Oh please, you excelled then, you'll excel now. Remus said you'd been home schooled pretty much every single weekend, summer, and whatever holiday."

"I'll still be behind," She shrugged.

Mary snorted, "I doubt it Lil. I bet you've already read that textbook twice, and memorised it."

Lily laughed, "Well thank you for your faith in me."

"She needs faith in you Lil, she only just scraped an E in her O.W.L's," Marlene smirked, and Mary nudged her in the side.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I got a P in Divination," Lily offered. And Marlene grinned.

"My, my, my, Lily Evans got a P. I never thought I would see the day."

Lily had taken her O.W.L's at the very start of last summer. It had been hard, she had had to study at night so Emma or anyone else couldn't see, and she would spend the rest of the day exhausted, before spending another night studying. But she had managed to do quite well. Except Divination of course, but it was a wishy washy subject anyway.

The girls managed to chat the rest of the way, and Lily felt a great pang of relief that they had talked before they had reached the school, and that they could still talk for this long without getting bored. It calmed her, and suddenly her panic about Hogwarts started to decrease ever so slightly, the more they talked the calmer she felt, and her original panic was replaced with excited butterflies, as they continued to remind her of everything she had missed about the school. The feast, the dorms, Quidditch, Gryffindor house, lessons, even the Ghosts which –as they reminded her- in her first year had terrified her.

Lily clutched her stomach from laughing, and Marlene wiped a tear from her eye, as Mary erupted into fits of giggles. "Anyway, I think we all know what we haven't talked about, Marlene's summer."

Marlene grinned slightly, and rolled her eyes, "Oh, please Mary, I know you're going to say something about Sirius _bloody_ Black, and whatever you've heard it's untrue. I have not seen him all summer, except for about my family's ball."

"What rumours?" Mary asked innocently, and Lily grinned at her friends.

"That apparently, Black and I have spent all summer together, and that we are-"

She was interrupted, "We are what Marley?" Lily could hear the smirk in his voice, and she realised that some things, meaning Sirius Black, never seemed to change. Sirius leant in the doorway, his prize smirk plastered across his face, his arms folded across his chest, as he watched Marlene, mischief glinting in his eyes.

Marlene's cheeks went slightly pink, and she shook her head, "It's rude to listen in to other people's conversations," She snapped. But he just continued to grin.

He then turned his attention to Lily, "Evans. I did not think I would be bumping into you this September. How's muggle life been treating you? My mate, James Potter, you remember him? He says Lily Evans still has her temper, and her snarky comments."

"Well, isn't it nice neither of us has changed, Black? I see you still have your overwhelming arrogance, and that stupid smirk, like your mate, James Potter, and yes I remember him," She said with a sweet smile.

"I missed you too Lil," He said with a grin, before closing the door and dashing off down the corridor, off to find his arrogant mates no doubt.

Marlene grinned, and Mary erupted into giggles again, before poking Marlene in the side and shooting her a wink. This morning Lily never would have thought this, but she had never been so glad to be back.

Only half an hour later she had her uniform on, and was sat in a horseless carriage, being carried up towards the school with Marlene and Mary. She tapped her feet on the carriage floor in nervous excitement, as she listened to Mary chat away about her summer in Paris for the rest of the journey. The carriage soon came to a sudden halt, and Lily looked up. The castle looked as beautiful as she remembered it, each room seemed to have a light twinkling in it, and the entrance way was beautifully lit up. Lily smiled to herself, as she felt the warmth already radiating from the Great Hall, and heard the students chatter and excitement. She let herself get swept up in it. And suddenly she wasn't a new student. This had always been her home, she had always thought of here, and she had always missed here.

"I'm so glad to be back," She sighed as she slipped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, with Mary next to her and Marlene opposite. She could feel a few glances at the back of her head, and some from down the Gryffindor table, but she didn't care.

"It feels like you never left doesn't it?" Marlene asked softly, with a smile. Lily nodded, and beamed.

Lily felt Remus slip in next to her on her other side, and watched as James, Sirius, and Peter sat down next to Marlene. It was strange; she had never been particularly fond of the Marauders in second or first year. But she always remembered the two groups of friends sitting next to one another, whether they talked or not, and it comforted her to find that nothing had changed. She smiled slightly to herself, and turned her head as the new students walked in, slowly, and nervously, but with excited smiles all over their faces. She watched as they all got sorted, most pleased, a few disappointed. But that was expected. She had remembered Marlene wanting to be in Ravenclaw when they first met on the train ride there, and been slightly put out at first, but then herself and Mary spent ten minutes telling her how brilliant Gryffindor was, and she was suddenly saying the phrase "Stupid, dull, Ravenclaw," repeatedly.

Dumbledore stood up, "Welcome back, old students, and new. Or perhaps both," His eyes twinkling slightly, and Mary nudged her in the side, and shot her a grin. "Here's to another year, and what you've all been waiting for, another feast. Enjoy."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **_I hope you like this chapter, I don't think it's my best, and I did it quick hurriedly as I realised it's almost been a month since I updated. I hope this sort of clears up the confusion anyone had with Lily's family's situation with death eaters vs order of the phoenix whatever. Basically what happened to Lily, and why will be explained in later chapters, I promise. I'm not just going to leave it as a confused, loose end, I do have this planned out._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I haven't updated in ages, and this chapter is a bit all over the place, so sorry if it's a bit messy.**

* * *

><p><strong>Hogwarts School,<strong>

**14****th**** of September, 1943.**

Marlene sat on a bench in the entrance hall, her eyes scanning the most recent letter from her Mother. Again reminding her that this was an important year for her, and her inappropriate behaviour from last year would not be tolerated. Her potential husband would see this as distasteful, and it would be difficult to marry her off. Marlene rolled her eyes, and scrunched up the letter, throwing it to the bottom of her bag.

Lucky for Marlene she didn't need to impress anyone in order to get a husband, her engagement had been sealed since birth, and fifth year had been her attempt to ruin that. Of course it had not worked. At the end of fourth year she started up a relationship with Graham Chang, and at the time it had been true love, well as close as you can get to true love when you're fifteen years old, so when she entered fifth year her initial aim had been to destroy any ties she had to Adrian Morse, now a seventh year Ravenclaw, in the hope she'd be able to marry the man of her choice – when the time came.

She walked slowly towards the room where she would be spending her free period, as she pondered over the letter. She thought about him, and about summer, and about how they both knew it couldn't continue. Of course, they did not talk about this when they were together, they were just having fun, and this was something that was years away. Something that was just a far off story to them, something she secretly hoped would never come into play.

"You took your time," He muttered in her ear as she pulled back the portrait, and slipped into the passageway.

She rolled her eyes, "Shut up."

"It's not summer anymore," He whispered, as she threw her bag onto the floor.

"If you have a problem with that why are you here then?" She asked, turning to face him, her eyebrows raised.

He smirked slightly, before pulling her towards him and kissing her, fiercely. Nothing was soft, and gentle, and romantic about Sirius Black. She was way out of her depth.

* * *

><p><strong>11:43 am.<strong>

Lily was finding it hard, hard to fit back in and hard to adapt back to the way of the wizarding world. In Transfiguration that morning she had found herself searching her bag for a pen and panicking when she couldn't find one, before realising she was now using quills and she had plenty. She felt distracted reading her textbooks, almost searching for maths equations, and formulas, she didn't feel comfortable reading up on the transformation of a human to an animagi. Sure, she had spent the past few years learning magic by night, every weekend, every holiday; she wasn't that behind, she was well up to speed with everyone else. But she realised she lacked the sense of normality in her life now, now everything was magic all the time, with no breaks, but before everything had been so all over the place, and fragmented, and it surprised her to realise she missed the disorder of her life before.

She had been quiet, she knew that of course, Mary and Marlene had certainly noticed but neither had said anything – they were probably worried they might upset her. She knew they wanted to understand, but she also knew neither of them knew how to. She was trying her hardest to enjoy being back, it had been two weeks now. And she'd be lying if she said she hated it here, there was nothing to hate about Hogwarts. It was beautiful, and like something out of a dream world, and she wouldn't go home now even if she was asked to. She was just in a state of being constantly overwhelmed.

She felt the sofa in front of the fire sink underneath someone's weight sitting next to her, and she turned. "You know Evans, you should really consider trying out for Quidditch," James Potter said with a grin as she caught his eye.

She rolled her eyes slightly as she crossed her legs underneath her, "What so you can have a good laugh at poor old Evans not being able to even catch a ball?"

"Quaffle," He corrected, and she felt her cheeks flush. "Nah, we could use someone with a temper like yours on the team."

She knew he was trying to get a rise out of her, but she was not in the mood, and the best way was to play dumb. "I can't even fly."

"Well of course you can't, nobody can fly on their own can they?" He smirked. She sighed, and flicked the pages of the book she had been staring at, pretending he wasn't there.

"On a broom, Potter," She muttered. "I've never flown one."

"Sure you have," His grin was growing, and she raised her eyebrows at him, questioning his sudden smile. "I remember first year flying lessons, when you-"

"Potter," She warned.

"When you got on your broomstick, your face bright red and determined, and you put your hands on your hips, and said, and sai-" He was laughing now, quite uncontrollably, and Lily felt her face heat up.

"Potter."

"You said, you, you looked me straight in the eye, and said "Shove your silly broomstick up your fat arse Potter, because I've never ridden one of these before, and I bet you your entire massive head, I'm better than you." And then, and then you-"

"James," She half whined, half snapped, too embarrassed to even look at him. She buried her head into a pillow as she listened to him laughing.

"You got on that broomstick flew a foot into the air, whizzed down and crashed straight into Sirius," He was wheezing with laughter at the memory, and Lily was pretty certain she had gone the colour of a tomato. Her first year arrogance had clearly matched his first year arrogance, and she flushed at how hypocritical she had been towards him.

"Oh, ha, ha," She rolled her eyes again, as soon as the blushing had gone down and closed her book.

He grinned at her, that stupid smirk playing on his face, as if he was so smug, "Don't worry Evans, I'll teach you some time if you like."

"Thank you Potter, but I think I'd rather eat rat droppings," She smirked back, before getting up and turning away from him.

She was making her way across the common room and towards the portrait hole before she heard him call out again, and she stopped.

"Hey Evans," He started, and she raised her eyebrows. "You alright?" His smile had vanished now, and he seemed to be full of genuine concern, and she felt her heart lift slightly, and her usual annoyance towards James Potter was replaced with genuine gratitude that someone cared enough to ask.

She smiled half-heartedly before nodding at him, to which he gave an unsure smile back, and she turned again and made her way out of the portrait hole.

* * *

><p><strong>5:44 pm. <strong>

Mary MacDonald sighed, making Remus Lupin look up across the table towards her, "What?" He asked.

Mary had her head shoved into a gossip magazine, and her eyes were scanning the page quickly with a dreamy look plastered across her face. She looked up briefly, before looking back down again, "Secrets, scandals, and lies, may be my favourite thing about this aristocratic society."

"That's funny," Remus said, his eyes scanning his textbook, "Secrets, scandals, and lies, may be my least favourite thing about this aristocratic society."

Mary grinned, "This is why we're such good friends, because our difference in opinion means we have great debates, thus enhancing the strength of our friendship."

Remus couldn't deny her logic, the pair had been friends for many years, and Remus felt like her big brother, he felt fiercely protective of Mary as she did tend to be a tad flighty and she wasn't the most careful of sorts. He watched her eyes scan the page, and widen at certain sections where she had clearly found an extremely scandalous bit to read, and he wondered if one day she would be in one of those magazines. And he hoped for all their sakes that she wouldn't be.

He looked up as the library door swung open and in came a very tired looking Marlene, whose eyes scanned the library before locating the pair. She seemed to light up with relief, and she dropped herself in the chair next to Mary, and opposite Remus.

"Thank goodness," She sighed, throwing her books on to the table. "I have been stuck on the last question of Slughorn's potions homework for exactly two hours and three minutes." She said before dropping her head on the table.

"And you want to copy my answers?" Remus asked, teasing her slightly. Marlene hated potions, but to become an Auror she needed it, so she had spent the last two years begging for Remus's help, and then copying his answers, if she still didn't get it.

"No," She whined. "I actually need to know it this year, I actually need the help."

"Have you ever considered asking Lily?" Remus mused, and Marlene looked up. "She was the best at it before she left, and she seems to still be the best at it now she's back."

Marlene and Mary exchanged an uncomfortable glance, before both of them shrugging their shoulders. Mary quickly returned to her magazine without making any eye contact, and Marlene seemed to become very interested in the leather peeling off of her satchel where the bag was being torn by the heaviness of her books. She looked up, and Remus raised his eyebrows questioningly at her.

Marlene sighed, and put her head in her hands, "I adore Lily, we both do. But I don't want to ask her for help on homework."

"Why not?" Remus frowned at her.

"Well," She started. "She already seems quite down, and what if I ask her a question and she doesn't know the answer to it, and then she feels more rubbish because she'll think she's behind us all, and then she'll become all upset, and I'll feel really guilty. And it'll all be over some silly homework question," Marlene rambled.

There was a silence, before Remus snorted. "That's the silliest thing I've heard. Marlene, she wants to feel included, and part of this world. Who cares if she doesn't know it? You've been at this school for five whole years now, and you two still don't know everything. Give her a chance."

Marlene bit her lip, "I suppose you're right. I mean we don't know everything."

"No," Mary answered, her eyes still glued to her magazine, "but you know who does? Gilderoy Lockhart." Her voice was dreamy, and Remus could not stop himself rolling his eyes. "He's such a well-rounded, experienced, and amazing person."

She was so lost in her own little world of Gilderoy Lockhart that she barely heard Remus and Marlene burst into a fit of giggles.

* * *

><p><strong>7:32 pm.<strong>

"Are you going to read it?" Marlene asked, smiling gently at her. Lily shrugged and pulled a face.

They had just sat down when her owl – Monty – had dropped a letter right in front of her. It was most likely from home. The first one she had had since she had arrived. She knew her and her Father had left on cold, and tense terms, and Lily feared slightly what it might say. She shook her head and slipped the letter into her cloak.

"Who cares what he has to say anyway?" Lily smiled confidently back at Marlene, who grinned at her. There was a silence, "It might just be from my Mother anyway. She always has her corset in a twist."

"They've probably arranged you to someone," Mary said absentmindedly.

Lily choked slightly, "What?" And out of the corner of her eye she watched Marlene flush slightly, and direct her gaze to her food.

"In loads of old wizarding families parents arrange marriages, it's mostly now to make sure the bloodline is carried through."

"Oh Merlin," Lily croaked, rubbing her temple slightly. She could see it now, her and some slimy Slytherin arranged to one another, for the rest of her life.

Marlene was pushing the food around her plate, "It's probably nothing, don't panic," She jumped up. "I'm going to grab a jumper, I'll meet you outside. Okay?" She said before darting out of the hall.

The evenings were still light and warm, and the three of them had decided to honour one of the last nice evenings with a wander around the grounds, as Lily had confessed the grounds had always been one of her favourite things about Hogwarts.

Mary and Lily shared a confused glance, and Mary shrugged before returning to the same magazine she had been reading all afternoon. Lily excused herself as well, promising to meet her on the grounds in ten minutes. She also needed a jumper from the dormitory.

She made her way out of the Great Hall, and didn't seem to notice the group of Slytherins following just behind her. She slipped down a corridor, to make her way towards the staircase that would eventually lead her to the tower, when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and someone spin her around.

"You could do yourself a great favour Evans if you didn't ignore your Father's letters," She heard Avery hiss in her ear, as she felt her back knock against the stone brick wall.

She looked up and glared at him, "And why, may I ask, would it ever concern you?" She spat.

"You have orders, we have orders. The only people you'll end up hurting if you ignore them, is yourself, and you family. You can't expect James Potter to swoop in every time you feel yourself in any sort of discomfort." His voice was bitter, and he was clearly recollecting his memories of the ball.

Lily sneered at him, "I don't need anyone to swoop in and save me, but you clearly need someone to remind you not to be such a vile pig. So why don't I this time?" She snarled, before bringing her knee upwards, and forwards. Avery recoiled backwards in pain, and Lily brought her fist to his face, and whipped her wand out, she was ready to take on the rest of them before someone grabbed her arm,

"Don't," Sirius Black murmured in her ear. "Get out of here Evans, before you get yourself into a mess you can't undo. I'll take care of it. I have some unfinished business to attend to anyway," he finished, before swinging his own fist forward and smacking Avery again, whilst directing his wand towards another Slytherin she did not know the name of, and shouting "Petrificus Totalus".

Lily grinned slightly, and nodded to herself, before jumping over the binded Slytherin and dashing down the corridor, leaving Sirius to his unfinished business, and feeling proud of herself.

"Do you need a warning Evans, you can't refuse us," She heard Avery scream down the corridor.

* * *

><p><strong>15<strong>**th**** of September, 1943.**

This years Head Boy and Head Girl had petitioned that some sort of exercise or sport hour needed to be accounted for, and they had apparently both argued their case that this hour should not be used for Quidditch purposes, but for training purposes. Lily could see the logic, it would help those who wanted to be Aurors who hated Quidditch keep fit, as training was apparently intense. Well those whose parents would let them be Aurors. She dismissed the thought wistfully and tuned back into her friends conversation. James Potter was not impressed.

"Just because Adrian Morse is crap at Quidditch doesn't mean we all need to suffer, whose bloody idea was it to make him Head Boy anyway, he's a prat," James said disgruntled.

Sirius barked out a laugh, "Perfect Potter judging whether someone is a good head boy or not."

James gave him a playful shove before the pair broke into a run to catch up with the rest of the class, and Professor Willen. Willen had taken them outside, as apparently today they would be doing a run across the grounds. Lily and Marlene did not bother to hide their groans when he announced it, neither were exactly keen on sports, and though Marlene played Quidditch, running was her least favourite thing, she had told James this many times when he had ordered them to run during a practice.

"Girls, you both want to be Aurors, when you're being chased by death eaters and you're panicking too much to apparate safely, running may be the only chance you've got," He told them fiercely, before turning away to lead the class into a run.

Marlene politely showed him her middle finger before walking behind the class, not even bothering to keep up and run, Lily joined her as Mary ran on with Remus. They dragged behind the class slowly, not really bothered if their Professor saw them slacking, but no he was too caught up in choosing the route across the grounds. Merlin he had chosen a long route, he rang along shouting directions and orders, Lily started at a slow jog and Marlene sighed but joined her.

"Oh shit," Marlene groaned, as loudly as possible, causing a few to shoot glances their way. "I'll never make it to being an Auror, this will kill me before Christmas," She yelled, their Professor shot them a glance, and glared at her. Sirius turned around and grinned at Marlene, causing her to smile slightly.

Lily huffed as she ran along, sure she felt like Marlene did, but she wasn't as vocal as her best friend. Lily just wanted to keel over and curl up in a ball, sleep and by the look on Marlene's face she felt the same, as she slowed back down to a walk, Lily sighed and joined her. The two girls followed slowly until they caught up with the forbidden forest.

Marlene nudged her, and titled her head towards the forest, "Come on, let's ditch this," She grinned, still trying to gather her breath. Lily bit back a smile; she never ditched class but the thought of actually having to run at some point, made her want to kick up a tantrum.

"And if we get caught" She reminded her friend as they came to a stop, nobody seemed to notice their disappearance.

"Look, we'll sit on the edge, watch the class and as they come back round we'll join the back again, it'll be easy," Marlene certainly had the idea sorted. Lily watched the class and glanced at the forest, she did not like it in there. "Oh come on Lil," Marlene sighed, grabbing her arm and dragging her in without actually waiting for an answer.

Marlene dragged her into the forest. It wasn't too dark on the outskirts, the tree's weren't as thick and light easily seeped through the forests roof, she quickly found a fallen down tree for them to sit on, and plonked herself down as Lily grudgingly followed her.

"Come on Lil, enjoy yourself, this is your first time skipping, loosen up," Marlene sighed, leaning back and closing her eyes.

The girls sat there for about twenty minutes, chatting and doing not much of anything, the sun was seeping through enough to be relaxing, but considering it was November, they were starting to get a bit chilly in their uniform. Marlene jumped up, dragging Lily with her and the two girls started to make their way back to the grounds.

"Don't you Willen would have noticed that we disappeared?" Lily asked, yawning slightly, her enthusiasm had been knocked out of her the minute she had thought about returning to class, and running again.

Marlene shrugged, "Probably, no doubt some Slytherin would have chucked us into it. But what's the worst we can get? Probably a detention, all we did was not run."

"Yeah, but Marlene I'm ne-"

Then she heard it, hell half the castle could have heard it if it wasn't for the layers of tree's blocking out most noise. A piercing scream echoed throughout the forest, not bothering to die out but it was cut off abruptly as if something had cut it off. Lily exchanged a look with Marlene, who looked terrified.

"Where did that come from?" She whispered.

Lily shook her head, "We need to find out."

So the two girls bravely, and perhaps stupidly, made their way deeper into the forbidden forest, without their wands it was hard to track where the scream had come from, and it seemed as if they had been walking for hours, especially when the forest became extremely dark. Lily was not sure if this was from the trees becoming thicker or perhaps it was now night time, she really hoped it was the former because she did not want to think about the panic they were probably causing if they had been out for hours.

"Lily," Marlene panted. "We could be hours away, how do we know where to go?" She said slowing down.

Lily did not, though she was almost ready to turn to Marlene and suggest going back to get Dumbledore when they heard it again. The scream was closer this time, and the owner of it sounded in pain, it came out in four short screams this time, and Lily started to run towards it with Marlene close behind her.

They reached a small clearing probably near the middle of the forest, wherever that was? A bit of light illuminated the clearing; it was certainly lighter than the rest of the forest was which made Lily question how far away they were from the school. She shot a glance up at the tree's, the sky was an orangey colour, which suggested it was later than she thought, she looked back at the clearing where they met the reason behind the scream, Lily's mouth dropped open, stood in the middle of the clearing was Amelia Wood, a Ravenclaw girl who had been in their defence class, her head was drooped and she was facing the ground, but her body was tied to the tree. She was quite obviously unconscious, probably only just before they had arrived, but Lily's eyes quickly left her and settled on the two figures dressed all in black running away from them.


End file.
